Ordered a Firebird 70s tribute, need pickup suggestions

[Lzwb]

What are some good pickups to put in a lefty firebird 70s tribute? Found one on guitarcenters site and put it on layaway for 2 weeks so I can get the money together.

I plan on swapping out the pickups, i've heard the stock ones arent great.

I'm looking to get more of a humbucker tone out of this guitar.

What are some good pickups I can put in it? I've heard the lollar firebird pickups are great but it says theyre more like single coils, which I dont really want. I also don't want to rout the guitar to fit anything else so the pickups need to fit in the pre-existing holes. I'm gonna be using this guitar for classic/hard rock, blues etc... Nothing with too much gain.

 

[Clyde Billt]

Duncan Antiquities are in my FBVII.
Highly recomended

 

[Kris Ford]

Definitely try it AS IS before just swapping the pickups..
The stock pickups do everything you describe.
The people who bitch about the "modern" FB pickup are 9 times out of 10 chasing that single coil FB sound..the stock ones are AWESOME rock pickups.
Trust me on this one...save some $$ and you'll probabaly dig the stock ones.

 

[gruffydd3]

I agree with Kris.

 

[Guitaraxe]

iirc, Those 70's tributes have alnico mini's types. I haven't tried them so have no idea of tones but you might give them a shot first.

Not a lot out there for mini hums unless you are going for vintage Bird tones. Rio Grande and Zhang (who hangs here on MLP) come to mind as a few options but I haven't tried them. The Gibson ceramic mini's they put in the V are not half bad "Rockers" with a lean toward the humbucker flavor. I kept them on my Bird.

 

[Lwilliams]

I ordered my FBV a few weeks ago thinking that after I got it I would seek out replacement pups. I had tried to buy a 'bird a couple times about 10 years ago. Those pickups sounded really bad.

The '16 got here and I was shocked at how good they do sound. I have not given any more thought about replacing them.

But, if you are insistent on replacing yours, check out the Johnny Winter model made by Mojotone. They are replicas of Johnny's original '63 pups. He used them in his 'birds.

 

[Kris Ford]

iirc, Those 70's tributes have alnico mini's types. I haven't tried them so have no idea of tones but you might give them a shot first.

Not a lot out there for mini hums unless you are going for vintage Bird tones. Rio Grande and Zhang (who hangs here on MLP) come to mind as a few options but I haven't tried them. The Gibson ceramic mini's they put in the V are not half bad "Rockers" with a lean toward the humbucker flavor. I kept them on my Bird.

Yep, had them in a 70's LP tribute, and they'd sound good in a proper FB.
I think the OP is gonna like them..and I think he is hearing the negative comments from those seeking the twangy Frebird thing..which I am NOT..nor would I want ANY of my Gibsons to twang..

 

[AlvisX]

Duncan SP-90 1b in the bridge
Neck.......whatever
Thank me later

 

[DefinitelyNot]

If you don't want you're fb pickups to sound single coiley, then you probably would like the ones Gibson sends out better than the true firebird pickups that boutique winders make

 

[74JMP]

not sure I'd call twang more the snap and pop you get from an SG with 90's or a jr/spc. So if you need a different sound they are great.I agree that the dislike comes from "they don't sound like the old ones". when my plexi was pushed they sound good like my LP, which negated the bird's reason to be, when rolled back I had the same brittle insensitive tone I dislike.Which I have for all Gibson high output pups . So reading your posts you may really like them, they are not bad just different

 

[AlvisX]

The good thing about the Tribute series is that a p-90 should fit in there without routing....
Of course I didn't care one bit about routing my Firebird V. I had it on the bench the minute I got it
The p-90 in the bridge / Les Paul mini in the neck is a winning combination

 

[Guitaraxe]

In that case, DiMarzio has some humbuckers housed in P-90 sized covers that could be of interest to the OP. The P-90 Super Distortion for example.

 

[bossaddict]

I put MojoTone Johnny Winters in my Firebird, but they do sound pretty single-coily (did I just make up a word?). I wouldn't recommend them based on what you're looking for.

 

[77custom]

I put Gibson P-90's in mine. No routing, just a straight drop.

 

[David Mccarroll]

Yep, had them in a 70's LP tribute, and they'd sound good in a proper FB.
I think the OP is gonna like them..and I think he is hearing the negative comments from those seeking the twangy Frebird thing..which I am NOT..nor would I want ANY of my Gibsons to twang..

I have a friend who is the proud owner of a restored '63 Firebird 3, and I can assure you through a Mesa 5/50 amp the original pickups are some of the best straight up rock pickups I have ever heard - more cut and clarity than full sized 'buckers and plenty of output indeed (not to mention "twang" if you want it ).

If the new ones sound even half as good as those I'd definitely be giving them a good go before considering replacing them.

 

[David Mccarroll]

What are some good pickups to put in a lefty firebird 70s tribute? Found one on guitarcenters site and put it on layaway for 2 weeks so I can get the money together.

I plan on swapping out the pickups, i've heard the stock ones arent great.

I'm looking to get more of a humbucker tone out of this guitar.

What are some good pickups I can put in it? I've heard the lollar firebird pickups are great but it says theyre more like single coils, which I dont really want. I also don't want to rout the guitar to fit anything else so the pickups need to fit in the pre-existing holes. I'm gonna be using this guitar for classic/hard rock, blues etc... Nothing with too much gain.

And, yeah, like quite a few people have said - there is zero point in going on what other people have said until you plug the guitar into your own rig - it might be the best tone you have ever heard.

 

[AlvisX]

I put Gibson P-90's in mine. No routing, just a straight drop.

Yeah, now you talkin......

 

[charlie chitlins]

The internet dislikes the stock pickups, but you might like them.
I lowered mine, added .047 tone caps and rolled the tone knob off slightly...
Good sounding gigger.

 

[DefinitelyNot]

I put Gibson P-90's in mine. No routing, just a straight drop.

THAT is cool! Love it!

In my opinion there's no reason to buy any p90s other than Gibson, they're cheap, and they can sound as good as any other. They have this great punch to them that I love so much in p90s. I know others will disagree but at least as far as bang for the buck, it's all about the gibsons

 

[moreles]

Personally, I like Firebirds that sound like Firebirds. My '76 (Bicentennial) has its stock Firebird pickups and gets that great, biting (not shrill) and focused tone reminiscent of Blind Faith (when Clapton and Winwood did the dual guitar thing on their FBs -- "Had to Cry Today," etc.), Johnny Winter, and (best FB tone ever) Kal David w/ Etta James. The FB body is a good platform for humbuckers if you want a "big" humbucker sound, but then it will be a Firebird only in a cosmetic way, though it will sound great. FBs did come w/ P90s, so that's a legit combo, but these also lack the distinctive FB tone, though they, too, sound excellent. So my bias is for the FB minis, and Lollar and SD both make excellent ones, but any/all of those mentioned above will work great -- depends on the sound you are chasing.